Soul Searching
by Wyvernwings
Summary: It was Harry who got Malfoy out of Azkaban. Now Malfoy's most defiantly up to something, a potion that can supposedly find soul mates, with 100% accuracy. Harry has to investigate the potion, but what will he find? DM/HP, EWE
1. Chapter 1

**A Soul Search**

(Part one of... two or maybe three, not sure yet.)

(Rated M for the possibility of all things going bad, and mostly safety)

(Contains DM/HP, and mention of GW/HP, currently drinking and some language.)

**

* * *

**

"Mr. Potter, I have an assignment for you." Kingsley said, striding into Harry's office. The Auror looked up expectantly; it had to be something interesting for Kingsley himself to come to Harry.

"Sorry sir, but I'm still working on the paperwork from the last case." Harry said, motioning to the monstrous stacks of paper. Kingsley looked it over and nodded.

"It won't be a problem, simply give a pensive memory to me and I'll have someone else take care of it." Harry's eyes widened a bit at this. What was so important that the Head of the Department was actually giving him special treatment? Normally Shacklebolt was half again as hard on Harry as any other Auror to 'keep things fair'.

"Well what's the case then?" Harry asked, and a huge folder was dropped on his desk.

"You see, we've recently been given suspicion that an old friend of yours has been making love potions." Shacklebolt said, as Harry opened the cover to see Malfoy's scowling face.

"I'd hardly call him a friend." Harry grimaced, skimming over the details. "But I'd hardly say a love potion is reason to involve Aurors."

"Yes, well, keep reading."

'_Malfoy's Magic Mate Matcher Potion, available to you now for only…'_

"Sir this has a typo." Harry grumbled, counting the zeros again.

"No typo my boy. Continue."

'_50,000 galleons. This potion guarantees to give you a wonderful vision of your soul mate. This person is REAL and is out there, and really you can't put a price on love. So come now, find out your soul mate so that you can reach your happily-ever-after like many other patrons.'_

"So he's selling high priced hallucinogens." Harry grumbled looking up at Shacklebolt, truly not comprehending the reason he was being involved.

"These 'hallucinogens' as you call them, have an interesting rating. One hundred percent of the people who have taken the potion have found 'true love' and are living with, engaged to, or have otherwise married to their 'soul mate'." Shacklebolt said. Harry's eyes widened a bit. "One hundred percent, minus the inventor of the potion."

"I'll get right on it sir." Harry said standing up.

"Now Harry, we've had our labs test the potion, and there's nothing in it that could cause a reaction other than what the potions seems to be made for. We need you to have Malfoy show you exactly how it was made. He's promised to co-operate with us, but if you think he so much as looks guilty of hiding something, I want you to arrest him and bring him in for an interrogation under veritaserum."

"Absolutely." Harry nodded.

"And Harry, you should know, it was on your word that Malfoy was allowed to stay a free man. If he goes to prison for this…"

"I understand." Harry said, hurrying out the door.

* * *

Harry stood outside the door of a three story house, white columns stretched up its front to the roof, and the windows were all dark, as if glaring at him.

"Hello Aur—Oh it's just you Potter, well then come in. I suppose I should have expected as much." Malfoy finished with a grumble as he opened the door to Harry.

"Malfoy, I don't know what you're up to-"

"Well then you're obviously not as good of an Auror as the Prophet makes you out to be." Malfoy interrupted with a smirk. Harry scowled.

"But if you pull anything, I will have you in Azkaban so fast your head spins." Harry growled.

"Of course, of course. I can't imagine things look too good for you right now anyway." Malfoy said, and his smirk almost seemed to be an honest smile. "Now if you'll follow me I'll take you to the lab and show you how the potion is brewed. Of course it is patented, so any use of it without my say so would devastated you financially, you understand."

"Sorry Malfoy, but that will have to wait until we gather all of the ingredients first." Harry said, and he felt himself smile as Malfoy's face dropped.

"Potter, that might take weeks! I normally just have most of them shipped to me!" Malfoy grumbled.

"Well any one that comes from an Apothecary can be tested there, so we won't need to worry about those. Just show me the ones you gather by hand." Harry said. Malfoy grimaced but couldn't argue without ending up in Azkaban.

"As you wish, follow me then." He grumbled. He kept his head high as he walked through the house, and Harry could hardly believe how messy it was. There were clothes everywhere, and food on plates that should have been washed. As they walked through the kitchen Harry wondered if Malfoy didn't brew in here, the whole room was a disaster area, cluttered and covered in filth.

"Appearances can be deceiving." He muttered about the house and Malfoy scowled at him.

"I would appreciate it if you don't comment about what you don't understand." Draco grumbled as he opened the door to a lawn completely covered in dandelions.

"Forget to tip your gardener?" Harry asked, looking out at the unkempt lawn.

"Acio Wished on dandelion seeds." Draco said, ignoring Harry's comment. A moment later what looked like a backwards snowfall drifted out of the ground and to Draco, hovering and compressing until it was the size of an orb. Draco nodded and cast a compacting spell so that the ball of fluff wouldn't fall apart when it was touched.

"The first ingredient is the wish of an innocent." Draco said, handing the ball to Harry.

"And how do you manage that?" Harry asked, already putting the ball of fluff into a special evidence bag that would keep it from contamination. "You're hardly innocent."

"Uncle Harry?" A voice rose up out of the fields of dandelions. Harry's eyes whipped from his godson to Malfoy and back again.

"Teddy!" He said, forcing a smile on his face as the boy charged into his legs. "What are you doing here?"

"Silly Uncle Harry! I live here!" Teddy laughed and Harry couldn't keep the frown from his face this time as he picked the boy up, cradling the… was he five years old now, boy in his arms.

"What do you mean you live here, what happened to Andromeda?" Harry asked, looking the boy over for signs of neglect or abuse.

"Aunty Andromeda got really sick, so she asked Uncle Draco to move in with him. He's letting us stay free of charge, but Aunty Andromeda sometimes pays the bills since Uncle Draco doesn't have any money."

Malfoy blushed a bit at the boy and then scowled.

"Now Teddy, what have I told you about talking about that sort of thing." Draco said with an air of authority.

"It doesn't matter, cause Uncle Harry will make it all better. He always does. The first time I fell off my training broom he used magic and I didn't hurt at all!" Teddy beamed and then began to squirm in Harry's arms. "Uncle Haaarry, let me down! I wanna go back to playing with the other kids."

With another frown Harry slowly let the boy out of his arms, watching as the boy raced off into the field of dandelions once more.

"Explain yourself Malfoy." Harry snarled, his wand out as soon as the boy was out of sight. Malfoy sighed and shrugged.

"That's just about it. Andromeda could hardly take care of herself, let alone Teddy so she asked to move in with me. I agreed. One day when I was thinking about potions, babysitting Teddy, I watched him blow on a dandelion puff. It got me thinking about innate magic and the implications of desires on potions ingredients, all well beyond you I'm sure, but I thought I might be able to use the dandelion seeds as a way to make a wishing potion. It was only after several more discoveries that I found I could make a Soul Mate potion instead." Malfoy said turning as if he was going back in the house.

"Teddy mentioned other children." Harry pointed out, still not lowering his wand.

"Well, honestly I couldn't ask Teddy to just stand around blowing on dandelions all day, so I started a daycare of sorts." Malfoy said, and this time did disappear back into the house.

"Who's watching the children?" Harry yelled, sounding outraged.

"Honestly Potter, do you think I'm such a git that I would leave children to fend for themselves? I've hired a few workers who watch them, all capable and all answering to Andromeda. She's been doing a bit better, not that you asked, says she enjoys telling the employees what to do. Yelling at them is more like it though."

Harry blushed now, still angry and more than slightly embarrassed. He hadn't known any of this was happening, to his own godson no less. He wondered what else had been going on in his life when he'd been otherwise involved with work as an Auror.

"Come on now, I'm not allowed to sell any more potions until this is all sorted out, so I'd prefer if you hurried along." Malfoy grumbled, moving back through the house and out the front door.

"Where are we going now?" Harry asked, following the man.

"Hogwarts."

"Excuse me?" Harry asked, stopping just outside the door. Malfoy sighed and cocked his weight back on one hip.

"Hogwarts you twit. You know, that place we went to school? Big towers, dark lake, fought a battle there?" Malfoy said, his voice drawling and his eyes hooded in lazy contempt.

"I know what you said, but why?" Harry asked, still not moving.

"Two of the key ingredients are there." He sighed and continued to walk, not caring whether or not Potter followed him. He did of course follow, but only so he could continue to pester the blonde.

"What do you need from there?" Harry asked warily.

"Shut up and hold on, I have special apparition authority." Malfoy muttered, grabbing Harry's arm and sending them twisting through space to the castle.

"Special apparition authority!" Harry's voice pitched as he looked around.

"It happens when the last of your money is used to rebuild a wing or two of a school." Malfoy grumbled and took off towards Hagrids shack.

"Now where are we going?" Harry asked. He didn't expect it when Malfoy whirled around on him, wand pointed and eyes deadly.

"I swear to Merlin Potter, one more unnecessary question from you and you won't be able to sit down for a month!" Malfoy snarled, his bored façade gone. Harry stuttered, not out of fright, no he'd faced much worse than an angry school rival, but out of curiosity. He didn't touch his wand but merely nodded. Malfoy looked him over warily and put his wand away. "Thank you."

That, Harry had not been expecting. He was glad the blonde had turned back around, because when those two words exited Malfoy's mouth, his own mouth fell open. This was not the same boy he knew from Hogwarts. Something was different about him.

"Malfoy? I thought I 'erd an apparition. Fawks isn't 'ere right now, but I'll call 'im back in a moment or two." Hagrid said as he made his way out of his shack and towards the two standing in the field. "What's that, bring someone wit' ya? Is that—Harry! How are you! It's been quite a while 'asn't it?" Hagrid grinned, wrapping his arms around the man as if he was still an eleven year old boy.

"Nice to see you too Hagrid." Harry grunted when he was allowed air again.

"What're ya doin' here?" Hagrid asked looking from Draco to Harry in an puzzled fashion.

"I have to check out Malfoy's potion. There's a rumor going around that it's less than scrupulous and- that it's not any good Hagrid, and so they assigned me to check it out." Harry said, corrected himself at Hagrid's confused face.

"Ah, well then you'll defiantly be here to see Fawks, just a moment then." Hagrid grinned and put two fingers to his mouth, blowing hard. Harry winced and put his hands over his ears at the sound. "Ah, sorry 'bout that, forgot you weren't used to it. 'Ere he comes."

Harry looked up to see a bird he never thought he would see again gliding in to land on Draco's shoulder.

"Fawks, as in the phoenix Fawks, as in Doumbledor's Fawks?" Harry asked.

"At's the one. He'd been a tame bird so long, and 'e really liked the school you see, so he comes to visit a lot. And when Draco came up with a potion to find soul mates that needed phoenix feathers, well he came back here to see what happened to Fawks."

Harry had only absorbed part of the information, he was too busy watching Draco feed the bird little bits of something from his pocket.

"Diamonds, phoenix love to eat 'em. Only thing they can use in their crop ya know." Hagrid said, looking at the two. Harry's eyes were still fixed on Malfoy's hands, watching as they stroked the bird, and then ruffled the feathers a bit. A few bits of downy feathers fell off the bird, who gave a trill before taking off again. Malfoy watched the bird go before reaching down and grabbing the feathers.

"Down from a Phoenix." He said simply. "For the immortality of soul mates."

Harry nodded, and took the feathers as they were handed to him. He put them in the evidence bag, just as he had the dandelions.

"We normally try to harvest them just before he molts, that way he won't miss them any. He doesn't seem to mind so long as he gets his snack." Draco said and bowed slightly to Hagrid. "Thank you for taking care of him."

"No problem Draco, you know I love it." Hagrid beamed. "Are you going to Romania next?"

"Shortly, but you know McGonagall won't let you have a dragon." Draco said with a soft smile.

"I know that, just wondering if you couldn't take a couple pictures for me of that new one they been workin with." Hagrid muttered, though it was clear he really had wanted another dragon.

"I'll do my best." Draco said. "Good bye Hagrid."

"Bye Draco, bye Harry. And Harry, it'd be nice to see you again sometime."

Harry nodded to his friend and hurried off after Draco, who was striding along the grounds of the castle as if he owned it.

Harry had been busy, ever since he had entered Auror training. His life had been a blur of classes, work outs, field exercises and finally cases. Life outside of work had drifted to the wayside, not as important as taking care of the innocents. He tried to remember now the last time he'd seen Teddy before today, or the last time he had met Hagrid for tea and rock cakes. Brow twisted up in concentration, he still couldn't remember the dates. And speaking of dates, when was the last time he and Ginny had gone out?

"Hurry up Potter, Sprout doesn't like it when I bring guests unannounced." Malfoy said, waving the Auror forward as he knocked on the greenhouse door. A moment later the short Hufflepuff woman peeked out from behind the door and a large grin spread over her face.

"Draco! It's been too long, come in, come in." The woman grinned, waving her wand, and Harry felt a cascade of wards fall down. "Care to have tea? Oh… wait… you brought someone?"

Harry felt the wards pull back up immediately, and his former professor looked him over warily, eyes tracing his whole body before she flicked her wand in an unfamiliar fashion. Before Harry could act a cold wave of magic fell over him, probing him and nudging him, immobilizing him before it fell off of him all together.

"Mr. Potter." The woman spoke coldly and the wards fell again, but not all of them. "This is a surprise, what are you doing here?"

"I'm investigating Malfoy's potion." Harry said simply, following the blond into the room.

"I assure you, there's nothing wrong with that potion." Sprout said, her eyes fierce. Harry paused; he'd only ever seen her look this way when she was defending her own beloved Hufflepuffs.

"I'm afraid it's Auror business." He said gently as possible, but the little witch did not seem put at ease.

"Easy Pomona, I don't mind." Malfoy smiled, setting a hand on the woman's shoulder. Harry watched as she tensed at first before her stress seemed to melt away.

"Well, if you're sure you don't mind Draco… I suppose you need access to the belladonna?"

"That would be wonderful." The man said gently. He managed to not patronize her, but at the same time there was a sense of comforting coming from him. The small witch smiled and bustled about the room for a few moments, gathering shears and a few other gardening odds and ends, before leading them out to the green houses.

A complex series of wand motions made the greenhouse shiver for a moment before all the wards fell off of it, like water washing off around a stone. The Professor hurried in, and Draco followed at a leisurely gate, his eyes traveling back and forth as he inspected the plants. Finally they stopped in front of a set of familiar looking plants, belladonna.

"How much do you need dear?" The witch asked, looking over the leaves carefully. There was something strange about this belladonna though, and Harry realized that the flowers on it were silver. Pink belladonna they had used in healing potions, purple they used in poisons, but he'd never heard of silver belladonna.

"Just enough for one batch." Draco said, petting the flowers. Sprout nodded and clipped off a few leaves and berries, handing them to Draco. The man caressed the leaves gently before handing them off again. "Potter."

Harry took the plant and was putting it in the bag when the difference struck him. The leaves were soft, like velvet, and the petals smooth as silk, the berries plump and ready to pop.

"What is this?" He asked, going through his herbology in his head. He'd never heard of a plant that looked like belladonna but felt like this.

"Neutralized belladonna. It is neither poisonous nor healing, but magical in its sense of balance. It helps find the balance that soul mates need." Draco said, stroking one of the plants again. Harry nodded and put the parts in the evidence bag.

"Will that be all Draco?" Sprout asked, looking a bit saddened.

"Yes, thank you Pomona." Draco smiled, patting the woman's shoulder. She smiled gently and then turned, giving Harry a stern look.

"I hope this is the last bit of trouble you'll be giving him." She said, chin in the air before stalking out of the greenhouse.

"You'll have to excuse Ms. Sprout, she's never been quite the same since the Battle of Hogwarts. She's very nervous now, spends all her time with the plants. Neville had to replace her as Herbology Professor, but Minerva couldn't stand to throw the woman out, so she takes care of all the plants on the grounds." Malfoy explained as he moved back down the isles to the door of the green house. "The sun's setting."

Harry followed the man and paused at the door, looking out as the sun was, indeed dripping lower and lower over the lake. The sky was lit up with a thousand colors, and the clouds were shimmering like enchanted gossamer. He turned to Malfoy to say that they would continue tomorrow, but the words shriveled up in his throat.

The colors of the sky played themselves over the man's face, making him look enchanted. His blond hair was practically spun gold in the light and his eyes were mercury against the peaches and lavenders that washed over his skin. His profile was sharp, like mountains cutting through the sky, proud and defiant of the way things were suppose to be. But there were circles there, under his eyes, purple bruises from rubbing at his face too much, and his cheeks were too hollow. He looked under fed, and stressed, but somehow still magnificent…

"Potter?" Malfoy asked, turning to him. With a small smirk the man set a finger on the bottom of Harry's chin, and he wondered for a moment if he was going to be pulled in for a kiss. But then a slight pressure was applied, until Harry found that his teeth clacked back together, closed. "You shouldn't gape so, a pixie might find your mouth a nice abode."

Harry blushed slightly, hoping the colors of the sky would mask it.

"Ah… I'll see you tomorrow?" Harry asked, rather dumbly.

"I have to take you home first." Malfoy smirked, but it wasn't a cruel smirk. "You can't apparate out of here, and I might as well bring you all the way back, as it's doubtlessly closer than my abode."

Harry paused, about to object before conceding that it was significantly less dangerous to apparate in smaller jumps. He nodded and gave Malfoy the coordinates to his apartment just on the outside of London. He jerked a bit when Malfoy dropped an arm around his waist, before remembering that the more contact that was had when doing side alongs, the less likely you were to get splinched.

They landed with a muffled crack and Harry steadied himself a bit, somehow it had been a rather more dizzying apperation that most. Looking up at the large brick building he frowned. He could always tell his room apart from the rest, the general lack of anything in the windows was a telling factor, as was the fact that the shades were always drawn and the blinds always closed.

"Potter," Malfoy said, bringing Harry back to reality. "If you would be so kind as to not show up until eleven tomorrow, I would be much obliged. I know you most likely want to get this case over with quickly, but I'd rather the parents whose children come to the daycare didn't see you sniffing about."

Harry nodded, not sure what else to say. He would have to start working on the case file tomorrow anyway, so it would work out well enough. He studied Malfoy, looking for that ethereal quality that had effected him earlier, by the lake, but here, in the grimy streets, he looked just the same as always. Shaking his head he chided himself for such thoughts. This was Malfoy after all.

"Right, see you tomorrow then." He nodded and watched as the man popped out of existence.

He climbed the stairs to his room slowly, absurdly tired though the case hadn't been particularly stressful. Waving his wand silently the wards dropped and he entered the room. A dozen or so unopened letters were waiting for him on the kitchen table, a few from Ron and Hermione, but most of them were junk. Sitting down he cast a few precautionary spells before opening a few of them. Ron's letter went on about how the Cannons were doing, and how he couldn't wait to go back home and see Hermione and the children, and would Harry stop by when he was home. On the other hand Hermione's letter went on about how the children were doing, and that they hadn't seen him in a while, and did he know Ginny was engaged?

He dropped the letter, stunned, and then reread it and checked the date on the letter. It was about three days old, and tried to process what the letter had said. Ginny had met some chap a few months ago and they had gotten on wonderfully, and Hermione thought it was all too soon, but Ginny seemed happy, and the man was nice.

Standing up, Harry went to the cupboard and opened it, grabbing a bottle of Fire-whiskey and moved to the cabinet. He had the glass down before he turned away from it, opening the bottle and pouring it down his throat.

Merlin, how long had it really been since he'd seen Ginny? He hadn't even remembered breaking up, but now that he thought about it, he did remember her saying that if he missed one more date they were over… God, that had been about a year ago. Harry set the bottle down and wiped his mouth before going over the other letters. Most were invitations, would he come and speak at an event, or did he want to work for this department or that. He sunk into a familiar drinking game, every time the word hero was used he took another swig of whiskey and before he knew it, he was trashed, laying out drunk on the kitchen table.

* * *

((Comments? Questions? Concerns? Please review!))


	2. Chapter 2

**Part Two**

((Sorry this didn't get posted yesterday, college has been handing me my own arse. I hope you all enjoy this!))**  
**

* * *

The morning light it him in the face, and Harry moaned, rolling over on the cold floor. He reached into his pocket and cast a tempus charm, watching it flash the time three times before he swore. It was already noon. He hurried to the bathroom and took a quick shower before apparating straight out of his bedroom, still straightening his tie.

He hurried along the driveway to the white house and reached up to knock before the door opened before his fist. "Morning Potter." Malfoy drawled, "I didn't expect you to be quite this giving when I asked a favor. In fact, I rather expected you an hour ago."

Harry groaned, setting a hand to his head. Between Malfoy's over loud voice and the too bright sun, his brain felt like it was about to seep out of his ears. He followed the man into the house and nearly tripped over an animated stuffed dragon, who glared at him reproachfully before moving on its way.

"Take a seat." Malfoy instructed, having led Harry to the kitchen. It was just as much of a mess today as it was yesterday, but now it was filled with children hurrying to and fro, whining at Malfoy about a snack or a drink.

"Just a moment Marigold, I have to fetch our guest here something first." Harry heard Malfoy say, patting a redheaded girl on the head before hurrying out of the room.

"Uncle Harry!" Teddy screeched, and threw himself on the man. Harry tried to plaster a grin on his face, but had a feeling it was more of a grimace. "Are you here to play with us? Ms. Brown hasn't gotten here yet, Malfoy says she tends to be nervous around this time of the month, but I don't know what that means."

Harry blushed, having a fairly good idea what Malfoy meant before he noticed someone standing in the shadow of the door way. His wand was out and trained on the figure before he recognized the untamed masses of hair.

"Lavender?" He asked, dropping his wand a bit. The woman moved forward, her hair swept down one side of her face and neck, and she seemed to shutter in the light.

"Hi Ms. Brown!" Teddy grinned, throwing himself on the girls legs. Lavender let a smile touch her lips and she bent down to stroke the boy's head. As she did a bit of her hair moved away and Harry felt a well of pity rise up in him. Her face was ruined, scarred beyond recognition. He wondered what could have done that, but then he thought back to the Battle of Hogwarts. Greyback. His mind hurried to the date before he sucked in a deep breath. Tonight was the night of the full moon. Lavender had been changed.

"Figure it out yet Harry?" The woman asked, straightening up. Her voice was a little more coarse, but that had happened to Lupin this time of month as well. "Going to turn me in then? I know the Auror's like to keep a tight watch on my kind. They wouldn't approve to know I was working here. They wouldn't approve to know I was working at all."

Harry shook his head, dumbfounded.

"N-no. I won't tell anyone." He said honestly, watching as the children hurried over to the woman. She smiled at them kindly, and one of the little girls grabbed her hair, pulling it off of her face and giving her a kiss on her scarred cheek.

"Lavender! Lavender there you are, Malfoy had me hol- Oh… Hello Mr. Potter." A small dark haired woman came into view behind Lavender and Harry frowned, not knowing her.

"Astoria." Lavender smiled, straightening. "You have my potion then?"

"Yes of course." The woman grinned, handing off the wolfs bane potion Lavender, who swallowed it down anxiously. "D-Malfoy said he'd be right back Mr. Potter. It's been an awfully busy morning."

"Astoria! Lavender!" The shrill voice of Andromeda rang out from the other room and Harry winced, setting a hand to his temple.

"Good bye Mr. Potter." Astoria said with a slight bow before taking off. Lavender just looked him over once more before huffing off as well. Teddy giggled a bit and snuggled back into Harry's lap.

"They're so funny." He giggled. Harry patted the boy's hair, it was blue currently, and nodded absently. A moment later Malfoy hurried into the room and tossed a potion at Harry.

"It won't do for you to be hung over where we're going. Drink up and then we'll be off." Malfoy muttered and cast a few scourgifying spells on the room, but it barely made a dent in the mess.

"Uncle Draco, are you going to see Uncle Charlie today?" Teddy asked as Harry drank the potion around the mop of now neon yellow hair.

"Yes, so I want you to be on your best behavior, and if you are, I'll bring you back a present." Malfoy smiled, mussing the boy's hair.

"What about you Uncle Harry?" Teddy asked excitedly. Harry tried to answer but was feeling too queasy as the potion washed out the remaining toxins from his blood. It was an unpleasant experience to say the least. It was only after he felt the familiar wash of blood to his face that signaled the potion had finished his work when he realized that he had taken a drink from Malfoy without examining it first. He cast a few discrete spells on the bottle, to make sure that it was only a hangover potion afterwards, and it was, but the fact that he had trusted the man… He would blame it on the hangover itself.

"Run along now Teddy, we'll be back later." Malfoy smiled and watched as the boy took off after Lavender. Shaking his head he turned to Harry and raised one of his fine eyebrows. "Ready Potter? It'll be quite the portkey trip."

Harry nodded, standing up a bit more easily now and walking towards Malfoy. He was surprised when the blonde pulled out a small paper wrapped package from his pocket, and even more surprised that inside was a small dragon version of the ouroboros. It looked like it was a bracelet, made out of cheep metals.

"On three then?" Malfoy asked setting his hand above the trinket. Harry nodded, at this point the fact that the blonde had access to cross-country port keys failed to faze him. On the third beat they both grabbed the ring and Harry felt the familiar nauseating tug on his navel as he was thrown across countries worth of space.

They landed with a jerk and Harry managed to stand stable long enough to get his bearings before he felt his knees wobble.

"Easy there Potter." Malfoy muttered, setting an arm around Harry's shoulder. "Don't want anyone to think you're a quick snack."

"You're concerned. I'm touched." Harry grumbled around the nausea, but Malfoy only snickered, leading them down a path.

"Malfoy." A curt voice came from… well it seemed like nowhere.

"Weasley." He responded equally curtly to the disembodied voice.

"You aren't due for another month."

"I'm afraid I'm under investigation and must produce all elements of the potion to Mr. Potter here."

"Blimey! Harry's with you? Alright then." The voice cracked and then there was a pop as the facility was revealed. Harry gasped, watching the air behind a now visible wall, and tried to count the dragons in it but couldn't. "Harry!"

Harry frowned, before locating the voice. He held his arms out and laughed as he was enveloped by the strong arms of Charlie Weasley.

"I haven't heard from you in ages. That Auror business taken over your life?" Charlie laughed patting Harry on the back as he pulled away.

"You're one to talk Charlie, I only ever see you at the holidays. Would it kill you to visit the burrow every now and then?"

"Mate, I was home just last month. Don't know where you were." Charlie grinned, leading them into the enclosure. Harry winced, first at the fact that he hadn't known Charlie was hope, and then at the wards as the moved like thick burned oil over his skin. "Sorry 'bout that, wards aren't keen on new people."

"It's fine." Harry said, shaking it off.

"I suppose Malfoy'll be after the same thing, well its fine, she's still got her brood inside so she'll be willing enough to give up an angry breath or two." Charlie smiled, he looked at Harry's brief confusion before explaining. "Breath of an angry dragon mother, nothing in the world holds a flame to that in terms of passion, if you'll excuse the pun."

"I thought all items relating to dragons were strictly controlled." Harry grumbled, looking cautiously as a huge dragon landed to his left, stalking after them.

"Beat it Helga," Charlie dismissed the dragon, who hung her head like a scolded child before turning her attention to something else. "Most things dealing with dragons come from their body, but flame is something fairly renewable, so just like dragon dung, it can be collected with a permit."

"You have permits for dragon flame?" Harry asked, sounding dumbfounded.

"Ever potions master does. Some potions can only be brewed over a dragon flame fire." Malfoy sniffed, his nose in the air as he looked about.

"Sodding annoying lot they are too." Charlie grumbled. "Much rather deal with the herbologists myself. They have some respect for the living. Ah, here we are. Mora! Mora get out here, you have guests."

A large wave of blue rushed at them from the mouth of the cave they stood near, and at first Harry thought it was a rush of water. A moment later a large and very pregnant Swedish Short-snout stood in front of them, raising up on its hind legs and sending a jut of fire into the air as a warning. With a quick motion Malfoy seemed to channel the blue flame into a smaller white flame just in front of him. The dragon gave a screech and slashed at the air nearest Malfoy, but her claws seemed to be held back by an invisible barrier.

"Alright Mora, that's enough. You know he won't hurt you none." Charlie said, stepping inside the barrier to pet the dragon. It huffed a few more times, but slowly it seemed to settle down, and its scales, less filled with blood most likely, seemed to take on a more silver sheen. "Atta girl. You wanna come pet 'er Harry? I bet she'd like you."

"I… I'm good, I've had enough experience with dragons for one life time." Harry said. Charlie shook his head though and pulled Harry in, pushing his hand against the dragon's scales. The dam looked down at him with skeptic eyes, but made no move to attack.

"Not all dragons are bad Harry. And while I'm loathed to admit it, the one you're traveling with, as right a git as he is, isn't all bad either." Charlie said in a whisper. "He set me up with my match, and I think it'd be best if you didn't shut him down. You'd find a whole lot of people angry at you. Plus the stuff works."

Harry hadn't noticed the ring on Charlie's hand until then, a small dragon biting its own tail.

"Who is she?" He asked looking up from the ring.

"Oye, who said it was a she?" Charlie laughed and let Harry go. "Come on mate, I'll introduce you to him. We've worked together for years and it never occurred to either of to date the other. One little swig of that potion though and I saw it all right."

Harry frowned, not certain he liked the fact that Charlie had taken the potion. What if it was dangerous? Still he followed the man away from the dragons happily enough.

He watched as Malfoy, who had walked a ways away, bottled the dragon flame.

"Potter." He said, handing over the small bottle. Harry nodded and put it in an evidence bag like all the rest of the ingredients, and then raised an eyebrow as both Malfoy and Charlie headed in the same direction before hurrying after them.

A few moments later they were in what looked like a gift shop. A whole, what does one call a group of dragons? A flock? Of animated dragons flew and chased each other around. Some were stuffed, others resembled the animated statues that Harry had drawn at the Tri-wizard tournament. A small dragon he didn't recognize landed on his shoulder, and Harry was amazed at how warm it felt. He reached to pick it up before a charm surrounded the small creature.

"Sorry about that, Jas loves to come in here, and once she gets in, she's rather hard to get out." Charlie grinned, floating the tiny creature over to him.

"She's real?" Harry asked, amazed.

"Quite. We've been doing some experimental breeding, much more legal here, and have come up with her little species. They get to be the size of a large dog, about as smart as a dog and as stubborn as any dragon there ever was. We're going through a process of getting them legalized as pets, with permits of course. They're rather cute buggers when they're babies." Charlie laughed, and a moment later all Harry could see was a hand sliding around his waist and down…

"Oye Will, knock it off." Charlie laughed spinning around into a pair of arms. Harry blushed as the hands moved down Charlie's back to his ass, groping obviously and unashamed. He paused as he felt a hot breath against his own neck. He turned slowly to see Malfoy sighing behind his shoulder. He gasped a bit, noticing another small dragon had alighted on Draco's hair, and was currently nibbling at it.

"I do wish they weren't so open around those of us who don't have someone to be so open with." Draco sighed, reaching up and grabbing the small creature out of his hair. He smiled, grabbing Harry's hand and setting it inside it. "They're called fin dragons."

"Why?" Harry asked, looking the small creature over. Draco smiled and leaned down, blowing gently across the creature's back and on Harry's arms. The dragon gave a squeal and it's wings, and all of its scales raised up on end, making it look three times as big. The underside of both the wings and scales were brilliant red with golds and bronze.

"They're defense mechanism." Draco smiled and laughed as a tiny spurt of flame shot near his hand. I've been thinking about buying one for Teddy when I get a bit more money, and when they're legal of course. They're very loyal if you get them from an egg. Jas is an egg raised one, trained to Charlie, and this is Trin, another egg raised one trained to James."

"James?" Harry asked and Draco smiled, looking up at him through blond lashes, still bent over the tiny dragon.

"His lover." Draco smiled. "You do like asking one word questions don't you?"

Harry started to reply but was distracted as the little dragon flew off to its owner, James. The man was tall with striking black hair and sea green eyes. He was taller than Charlie, but slimmer too, and Harry could see how he might have snuck up behind him. There was a certain air of danger to the man, as much as there was a lusty air.

"Stoooop." Charlie warned as James seemed ready to pin him up against the wall, but Charlie didn't seem too concerned.

"Are all soul mates like this?" Harry asked, feeling a bit worried.

"No, they just share a common love of public displays of… fine, they're technically exhibitionists." Draco sighed when Harry raised an eyebrow. Harry shook his head slightly.

"Are they going to… stop any time soon?" He asked looking them over and shaking his head a bit. James seemed to be moving Charlie to a changing room, and Charlie didn't seem to be putting up much of a fight.

"Not likely, after finding one's soul mate sexual activity tends to rise." Draco said with a soft sigh. "And James was a sex addict before he and Charlie realized they were soul mates."

"That sounds… rather dangerous." Harry finally said. He hoped that they kept up their fluid levels and made sure to be careful of the dragons.

"Hmm, I suppose. It's more dangerous in other situations though." Draco said with a shrug. He turned from Harry and snatched a Hungarian Horntail dragon out of the air, flicking the back of its head as he brought it down next to him. The dragon screamed once and then… purred?

"The affection level of the toys is located behind the ears." Draco said, not waiting for Harry to ask this time. "Horntails can be highly affectionate to mates, puppy love almost. I spent a great deal of time deciding between their flames when they were protecting a mate and the short-snout's, but in the end hotter was better. I could only get visions of my soul mate when I used the horntail's breath."

"Who is your soul mate?" Harry asked. Draco grimaced.

"Someone I'll never have. He's straight, you see, which rather puts a damper on it." Draco muttered. "Of course even if he wasn't he rather hates me."

"That must be… painful." Harry said after a moment.

"Rather." Draco agreed and summoned a few photos before moving to the cash register.

"That all?" A small brown haired witch looked up at Draco with dull eyes.

"That's it Margery." He said pulling a few galleons from his pocket.

"You know quite well that you get a discount." The witch sighed, only taking half the galleons offered.

"And you know quite well I don't accept that." Draco said with a frown. "They paid for the potion they don't need to keep paying me with discounts."

"Of course not Mr. Malfoy, I understand that, you understand that, but can we get them to understand that? I think not. Now take your money, your gifts and your boy toy and get out of my shop before I call Sable in." The witch seemed bored but at the mention of Sable, Draco paled a bit. He nodded and started to hurry out of the store when something large and bronze knocked him to the ground.

"Blast it all, I don't want the brute! Get it off!" He cried putting his hands up to protect his face. It took Harry a moment to figure out that the creature was another finned dragon, fully grown by the look, and it was nuzzling and purring as it rubbed against Draco's neck and chest.

"I didn't call him, he just can smell you if you stand there too long." The witch said, making no move to help the man. Harry laughed a bit and stroked the dragon's back, watching the bronze scales flash under his fingers. The witch took a breath and he looked up, but the next moment the dragon had him pinned against the wall, nuzzling into Harry like an large cat.

"Nice to meet you too." He smiled at the beast. It blinked large golden eyes and continued to examine him before its tongue reached out and flicked his ear. He hissed a bit, it felt like someone had just dragged a scalding washcloth across his ear, but the next moment the pain was gone and the dragon was nuzzling into his chest as well.

"I'll meet you outside then." Draco said, hurrying to his feet and was out the door before Harry could protest.

"Well, I'm sorry Sable, but I have things to do." Harry sighed as he watched the man disappear, obviously not going to be any help. Harry shook his head slightly and grabbed a hold of the beast's forelegs, pushing it off of him and setting them on the ground. He smiled at the great beast who seemed rather put out, but moved quickly after Draco.

"What was that all about?" He asked when he caught up with the blonde.

"Sable is their guard dragon. Rather ferocious thing. It doesn't care much for people, but when it does take a liking to them its just as effective at pinning them as if it were angry." Draco said and looked Harry over. "I see it got you, come here a moment."

Protesting, as normal as it would have been to do, was the last thing from Harry's mind as Draco slid a hand up his jaw. How long had it been since he'd had a friendly hand on him? Since Ginny… His eyes widened as Draco grew closer, and closer until his breath stirred the soft hairs on Harry's ear, and then, something wet moved over the cartilage. He closed his eyes then, letting the man do what he wanted.

"There." Draco nodded pulling away, with a quick swish of his wand Harry felt his ear give a tiny tingle and then all the pain, and pleasure, was gone. Harry looked Draco over, his eyes half lidded still, but questioning. "Saliva has always aided healing spells. Why else would people feel the need to lick their wounds? Honestly."

Harry gave a soft nod and waited.

"We need to head to Egypt for the next ingredient, and the last will take some time to hunt down." Draco said, unwrapping the little ouroboros. Harry nodded again and moved next to Draco, setting his hand above the bracelet. "On three…"

Once more the jolt was startling, but not horrendous as it had been last time. Harry set a hand to his head, his eyes closed.

"Need a drink?" He heard there was a bit of shuffling and a cold glass was pressed into his hand. Harry smiled softly, looking down at the small shot of fire-whiskey. He cast a few spells on it, and noticed Draco frowning. "You know Harry, poisoning you wouldn't get me anywhere."

"We're not even suppose to take food or potions form suspects, especially not potions masters who are suspects." Harry explained, downing the shot. He watched as Draco downed his own shot. He assumed they were in Draco's house, but he wasn't sure where. It was darker than the parts he'd been in before, with hardwood floors and paneled walls.

"Well, then I must thank you for your trust." Draco said with a smile, stretching out along the couch he was sitting on. Harry smiled back, sitting down on an armchair near him.

The walls were lined with books and odd magical artifacts Harry had never seen before. There were no windows, and two doors. A large table sat on one side of the room with a set of cauldrons and vials, and it finally occurred to Harry that this was where Draco brewed.

"Can I get you something to eat?" Draco asked, "Or was drinking my whisky too much of a risk for you?"

"I'm starved actually." Harry mumbled. He hadn't had time for food before he left, and now it was much later in the day and his stomach did not approve. Draco nodded and moved across the room to a cupboard, opening one of the drawers he drew out two sandwiches from one and a bag of muggle chips from another. "What, no peeking duck?"

"No house elves." Draco said, handing Harry a sandwich and sitting down next to him with his own. "Which means I have to do all the dishes as well as prepare most of the food, for Teddy and Andromeda at least."

"What happened to you're parents house elves?" Harry asked, taking a bite out of the sandwich. It was perfect, ham and Swiss cheese with a leaf of lettuce and mustard and mayonnaise that added just the right zing. He moaned a bit.

"We were ruined after the war. My father was sent to Azkaban and my mother never recovered from it. I didn't go back to Hogwarts because I was too busy paying out the reparations from our ever dwindling accounts. Mother died instantly when the news of Father's death came, but I think it was better that way. She would have been miserable when I sold the manor and everything in it. It would have broken her on a whole other level." Draco said and took another shot of fire whiskey. "I'm still paying reparations you see. Aunt Andromeda helped me afford this house, took most of the money out of her own Gringotts account. She helped me try to make ends meat, but it hasn't been easy. I'm still swimming in debt."

Harry shook his head, astounded and befuddled. That all of this had happened and he didn't know, and that Draco would tell him about it…

"I'm sorry." He murmured.

"It's not your fault." Draco said with a slight smile, looking up at Harry as his eyes brightened a bit. "What is your fault is that I'm not rotting in jail right now. I owe a life debt to you for that."

"When this is all over, I'll do what I can to help." Harry said softly, "It can't be legal to still be paying reparations after all these years when you don't have anything left."

"It's fine Harry. I've been working on clearing my way out of this for almost five years now; I'm used to it." Draco said with a slightly sad smile. He took another shot of whiskey and Harry frowned. Was the man planning on getting drunk? He shook his head and took another bite of the sandwich, letting another moan escape him as he did. "Is it to your licking then?"

Harry blushed, stuttering over what the man had said in his mind. It occurred to him that the man must have misspoken.

"It's very good."

"I'm glad." Draco smiled, and Harry watched dumbfounded as the man brought a soft hand up to his chin, a deft finger swiped over his lips, sending shivers down his spine. Draco pulled his hand back and examined his finger before licking it. "You're a messy eater."

Harry blushed again. It was nothing, probably something he had done with the children, wiping up their messes with his finger. But… it looked so sensual… He felt another shiver run down his spine.

"Draco, who's your soul mate?" Harry asked softly.

"I'll tell you after you test the potion." Draco said straightening. The subtle glimmers of affection were gone from his eyes now, and his mask was back on harder than ever.

"Test it?" Harry asked, confused. Draco sighed, running a hand through his hair and mussing it from its perfect position.

"It's standard practice Harry, that the investigating Auror, after deeming a potion safe for public consumption, tests it to make sure there are no ill side affects while being monitored by other Aurors for subtle magical changes that might indicate an adverse reaction." Draco said softly. He looked up and his hair fell down into his eyes in a way that was most defiantly not as endearing as Harry thought it was.

"I've never done a potions investigation before." Harry admitted. Draco nodded and opened the bag of chips, munching on them. Harry paused and then continued. "Why wait until then?"

"People tend to have a change of heart about me after they take the potion. Some find themselves hating me for a good long time. Others find themselves smitten with me for selling them the product. I imagine you won't be too pleased to find out your soul mate."

"Why do you say that?" Harry asked. Draco looked up, a chip halfway to his mouth and a flicker of… something passed over his face.

"Call it a gut reaction." He said finally before setting the chips down. "But I imagine you have paperwork to do, and I've kept you far too long."

Harry paused, he hadn't been thinking about that, but nodded. He should get his work done.

"I'll be back early in the morning then?" He asked Draco. He smiled when the man gave a snort and rolled his eyes.

"If you can manage to drag yourself out of bed." The blonde drawled, rising and leading the way out of the room. Harry followed him with a soft smirk on his face, the man wasn't endearing, he told himself again, he was a prat with a rather soft side when he'd had too many fire whiskeys. That was why he had told Harry all of those things.

"As early as I can then." Harry smiled as they reached the front door. "Good bye Draco."

With a pop, he disappeared, back to the alley near the ministry. He went back to his office and deposited the various elements of the potion for the labs to analyze, and then began to work on his paperwork. It wasn't as difficult as normal, and he found himself done with it rather faster than he had imagined he would be. With a small smile he stood, stretched and went to the floo.

At home an owl was waiting for him, and he gently untied the string on the birds leg, unrolled the parchment and sat down. He frowned a bit, it was another message from Hermione. Thoughts rolled through his mind and he realized, hazily, that in his drunken stupor, he had written her last night.

_'Dear Harry,_

_I'm glad to hear you're enjoying your case with Malfoy so… thoroughly. I did the checking you asked me to, as strange as it was, and it came back negative. Malfoy has not had a girlfriend in the past five years, though he has had a male associate or two that claim to have been his boyfriend. Neither of these associates stayed with him after he offered them the potion, each going off to marry another person. I'm rather surprised you thought to ask about that, I must say I'm proud of the progress you've made in Auror training. Also, there have been no unusual trends of same sex soul mates as opposed to heterosexual soul mates, they all seem to fit in with the general demographics of partnerships. Also, you may be interested to know that Malfoy is over 100thousand galleons in debt. I don't know what you'll make of this information but I hope it serves you well._

_Ginny's glad to here that you're coming to the wedding, she was worried that you hadn't even noticed the invitation. I can't say that I blame her, you do get a bit involved in your work. Still, it's good of you to say you'd throw the groom a bachelor party. Ginny will be contacting you soon with more information on the wedding, and she said she wants you to be one of the groomsmen. _

_I hope to hear from you again soon._

_ Hermione Granger-Weasley._

Harry looked the letter over a few more times. He thought seriously about taking out the bottle of fire whiskey again and drowning his bitterness. What had the drunken him been thinking? Closing his eyes he shook his head. With a sigh he opened his eyes again, rubbed his forehead and went to the bathroom. He pulled out a bottle of Dreamless Sleep and took a swallow before setting it back. He was going to have a long day ahead of him and the last thing he needed was to be tired from not having slept well as he antagonized himself over what to do about the letter.

With a sigh he went to his bedroom and flopped down with a sigh. He was asleep within minutes.

* * *

((I've decided that this one, as with my other story, that when you submit a review, if you would like to submit a story idea as well I'll try to write it. Just a heads up, I don't do mpreg or genderbending (magical) with charries))


	3. Chapter 3

**Part Three**

((Technically, it's still Tuesday, though I only had another hour and ten minuets to post the thing. If it's any consolation, I've posted it before I finished reading my homework on Sir Sindey and his poetry... So ok, this was much more fun. Anyway, hope you're all still having fun and thanks again for all the reviews!))

**

* * *

**

The morning broke with all the same pleasure as an anvil being dropped on one's head. Harry moaned as he rolled out of bed, barely making it awake into the shower. His mind made dull lists of his morning routine to keep him awake. Shower, teeth, breakfast, Malfoy.

He let his thoughts drift to that last one a bit longer. Malfoy… The man was an enigma. He snorted, the man probably didn't even think Harry could say enigma, let alone use it in a sentence coherently. The same for coherent he guessed. He shook his head, stepping out of the shower and toweling off. He would be seeing the bastard all day, no need to start thinking of him before hand. Still, he couldn't seem to help it. With a sigh Harry brushed his teeth and set bread to toast and eggs to fry before going back to his room and stepping into a nice pair of robes. He'd always liked this set; they showed off the muscles he'd gained in training. He flushed, wondering why he was thinking about it, and hurried back out to the kitchen, grabbing both items before they burned too badly.

When he was finished he paused, looking around the room. It was… empty. His whole loft was empty, looking barely lived in. There were so few photos, so little clutter… It looked more like a show room than an apartment. Shaking his head, Harry apperated to what was quickly becoming a familiar location.

"Morning Potter!" Harry heard before he was fully finished collecting himself. He paused, looking up to see Malfoy smiling in the doorway.

"Were you waiting for me?" Harry asked, confused.

"No, more waiting for the customers you nearly splinched. Oh don't give me that look, I was forbidden from selling the Soul Matching potion, not from all apothecary work. Come along Robertson, Jeston, I'll get you those scales right away." Harry flushed a bit, as two flustered looking wizards walked around him and up to Malfoy. He hurried behind them and followed them into the house.

"Sorry about this Potter, it won't take more than a moment. After how late you showed up yesterday I wasn't expecting you until later I'm afraid. Sit down, I'm sure the children won't gnaw on you too much, but if they do, well, it won't be a loss really." Malfoy quipped happily as he led the men down the stairs to his lab.

Harry sighed, sitting down on the couch and looking around. The place was… chaos. Portraits hung slightly tilted and the witches and wizards in them hurried back and forth, gabbing about something, or laughing as the children ran about.

"HARRY!" Teddy yelled and Harry laughed, bracing himself just before the boy flew into his lap. "I hoped you would come back today. Draco said you would, but I didn't believe him. It's too good to be true, seeing you all the time like this."

"We'll see more of each other, I promise." Harry smiled, mussing the boy's ever changing hair color. "What are you up to today?"

"Ms. Brown is taking us on a field trip to muggle London. She and Ms. Greengrass. They're going to cast charms on us so we can't do magic or say anything to weird, but we're going to go shopping! Draco gave us each some money, told us to buy something called 'glum'." Harry laughed and shook his head.

"I think you mean gum."

"That's it!" Teddy nodded frantically. "And then we're going to a muggle zoo! I'll miss the dragons, but I hear they have really cool creatures there too. Ms. Brown said something about a dik-dik, it made us giggle."

"Do you often go on trips to muggle London?" Harry asked, watching as a girl flew past at knee level on a training broom. Another little boy followed behind her whining that it was his turn and it wasn't fair. Astoria was following them both, casting charm after charm on things to make sure they didn't break anything or anyone.

"Now and then, when the weathers good and we don't have any dandelion seeds to play with. They're awfully fun Harry, have you ever made a wish on one?" Teddy asked. Harry blinked, thinking back to his childhood. There had been a lot of dandelions in the park that he had gone to, the one where he went to avoid Dudley. He remembered scouring the dandelions, looking for the perfect one to make a wish on.

'_I wish someone would love me.'_ It was a sad little wish, made by a sad little boy, but it was his hearts desire. Just to go home and have someone waiting for him, asking him how his day had been.

"I did." Harry smiled, keeping the sadness out of his voice. He frowned and shook his head. Teddy smiled and bounced a bit on his lap.

"You grew up with muggles! What else should we do?" Teddy asked eagerly.

"See if you can't get them to take you to an arcade, I think you would enjoy that." Harry smiled, and laughed as Teddy nodded rushing off to do just that.

"There we go. I shall see you next week yes? Very good. Ah, look not a mark on you, shame really but then, they aren't tamed beasts are they?" Malfoy smiled holding a hand out to Harry. He took it and let the man pull him to his feet. The two wizards walked by with a bit of a glare but otherwise no expression. "You'll have to excuse them, not really morning people, or people people for that matter."

"You're awefully chipper this morning." Harry said, looking the man over for a jinx or spell that might explain his attitude.

"Ah well today's the last day you'll be with me!" Malfoy smiled, and clapped. "I'll be back to selling my potions in no time."

"Perhaps, but didn't you say one of the ingredients was difficult to track."

"Ah, yes, I did some research last night and found a lovely woman who would donate the ingredient. Just wonderful really. Of course I'll need to test it, and you can watch, but it won't be too bad. Much better than walking through all those muggle pawn shops and hoping to stumble upon it. Of course, in the future I imagine it will be much easier to find. I have most people sign a waver with the potion giving me access to it."

"What are you going on about?" Harry asked, frowning a bit.

"The last ingredient is a diamond from a successful marriage. I only need one for a whole pot, but they're awfully hard to come across, as you might imagine. Now though I have people who have signed off to give me a diamond from their ring after ten years or so. I'll have to do a bit of experimenting to make sure it's strong enough, but it should do, and then I won't have nearly so much of a time running down old widows asking about their rings."

"This sounds like hocus pocus to me." Harry grumbled and Draco heaved a sigh.

"Oh it would to you, you never made it past newt potions did you? Properties can be absorbed Harry, and love is a property. Why do you think each potions ingredient is individually wrapped? To keep it from being infected, that's why. You can't have someone with a bad temper going about and harvesting unicorn hair, it might throw off the whole potion. There are spells potion gathers use to repress any strong emotion they might feel when they're gathering very delicate ingredients. But then, I don't know why I'm explaining this to you. Truly an enigma." Harry stuttered when Draco said the word and the man smiled. "A mystery Potter, I forget I must use smaller words for you."

"I…" Harry stuttered for a few more moments before Draco clapped.

"Alright, well we have places to go and riddles to solve!" Draco smiled and grabbed Harry's hand. A moment later the air around them was horribly dry and hot. Harry gasped, feeling as if someone had just punched him in the gut. "There, that was fun!"

"What the hell, Malfoy?" Harry asked, wrapping his arms around his gut.

"Transcontinental portkey. They're very rare and very hard to make, but a friend in the ministry made me one. Nice fellow, you'd like him." Draco smiled, sweeping back his fringe. Harry looked around pausing as he realized they were in the middle of a desert.

"What are we doing here?"

"My Potter, do you ever say anything that isn't a question? Honestly." Draco grinned and clapped Harry on his back. "We're off to find ourselves a sphinx."

"A what now?"

"I thought that one was fairly self-explanatory myself, but perhaps you've forgotten your care of magical creatures lessons. Well either way, a sphinx is a part lio-."

"I bloody well know what a sphinx is, what I don't know is why we're looking for one!" Harry gasped and then coughed as a wind had come up, blowing sand down his throat.

"Ah, I need a hair from its tail. Zoo's are very finicky about not pestering there animals, and as there are no sphinx tamers the way there are dragon tamers the best I can do is skulk about the reservations looking for them. Come on now, we have a ways to walk before we get there."

"A- We have to walk there? Why didn't you apparate us in?"

"Why don't muggles ever run across sphinx when they're wandering the desert? Wards, Harry, ward." Draco shook his head. "Honestly, a little walking wouldn't kill either of us."

With that the blond headed off, and for the first time, Harry noticed he was dressed all in white with flowing robes that could be pulled up over his face. He sighed, looking over his own dark robes. It was most likely not going to end well.

* * *

He was right of course. He couldn't even really complain because he vaguely remembered Malfoy mentioning something about going to Egypt, he really should have been prepared. By the time the blonde had stopped walking Harry's clothes were clinging to him with sweat. Malfoy gave him an appraising look but said nothing, turning back to the empty space that was before him.

Harry wasn't surprised when the world shimmered and reveled more desert, but Malfoy smiled and waved for him to follow.

"They're solitary creatures you know. They only meet up on occasion to discuss riddles. Practical I'd say." Malfoy smiled, and Harry was somewhat glad the man was answering his questions without him having to ask. "The ones from the ripe females are the best, in season Harry, that mean's ready to mate, honestly."

Harry gave a flustered noise but it was only that the man seemed to be able to tell his thoughts so well. It was eerie.

"Perhaps a side affect of the potion… fascinating I shall write this down. No Potter, about me don't worry, and no I can't read your mind, but you're very tired and your face reads just like a book. Either way we're upon her, and its best to greet her before she greets us. Ament! Greetings!"

"Malfoy, are you here to play our game again? Oh, and you brought a snack. Wonderful."

"Now Ament, that's not nice. You so rarely get guests you shouldn't scare them off." Draco said, addressing the sphinx who had appeared out of thin air as they approached her, like an opposite mirage.

"Oh Malfoy, you never cease to amuse. I have another riddle for you.:

"_Ripped from my mother's womb, _

_Beaten and burned, _

_I become a blood thirsty killer.  
What am I?_"

Draco thought for a moment, looking around the area, he looked at Harry and then smiled. "Metal, or Iron."

"Very good Mr. Malfoy." She smiled, "And now you Mr. Potter."

"Ah, I'm quite ok, I don't need to pass, just to observe." Harry said, holding out his hands.

"Ah, but you have already entered my domain, it is only fair you receive a riddle. As this is the first time we have met I shall give you an easy one:

"_If you break me  
I do not stop working,  
If you touch me  
I may be snared,  
If you lose me  
Nothing will matter." _

"My heart." Harry answered straight away. The sphinx blinked and then a slow smile spread across her face.

"Oh, very good. I do like him Malfoy, please bring him again, and I shall treat you to a wonderful treasure." She smiled, flicking her tail around she presented it to Malfoy.

"It's just been on my mind is all." Harry said to the Sphinx, but she shook her head.

"You could be a good partner." She purred and then hissed as Draco took two hairs from her tail. "So long as he doesn't always insist on plucking me so, I would be bald before too long."

Harry smiled and the sphinx gave another gracious grin in return.

"Potter, since you've done so well, I will give you a hint. 'What holds two people together but only touches one?' When you are most troubled remember this rhyme, and remember, sphinx love riddles because we know almost all." Her eyes narrowed to slits and Harry frowned a bit. He nodded and then hurried after Draco, who was already hurrying away, his face flushed. Harry paused, expecting him to assume his question, but when it didn't happen he asked.

"What did she mean? Do you know the answer?"

"If I told you the answer it wouldn't mean anything, and she only means what I already know."

"You're being cryptic." Harry said, his face as flushed as Draco's with the heat.

"It's the mood of things." He muttered. "Take the sphinx hair."

Harry did as he was bid, putting the hair in an evidence bag like the rest, but frowned, falling back a step. He already missed the amiable way they had gotten on earlier. Merlin, what would he do when the case was over?

What was he thinking? By his wand he sounded like a pre-teen witch with a crush. He fell into silence, thinking that over. He didn't like Malfoy, did he? He was a nice enough bloke and all, but Harry wasn't attracted to him. He'd never been attracted to wizards, though Malfoy was a fairly attractive man, he could admit that to himself. He sighed, looking up to see the man's ass swaying back and forth in front of him. It wasn't fair that the clothes pulled tight there when the man pulled the front of the garb up to cover his mouth. He grumbled and then fell face first into the sand. Sighing he started to pick himself up, but a hand was offered to him.

"The sand's a bit tricky at first, especially when you aren't used to walking in it." Draco said, a slight smile on his face. Harry hoped the man passed off the blush on his face for heat, instead of the embarrassment that was rolling across it in hot waves.

"Thanks." He murmured, grabbing the offered hand and letting himself be pulled to his feet. Draco offered him a slight smile and shook his head.

"Graceless of course, but we can't all be Malfoy's." He smiled, walking in front of the man again. The heat didn't diminish from his cheeks at that remark, but a smile spread across his lips. Malfoy's were certainly one of a kind.

* * *

Harry sighed as the portkey dropped them back in Malfoy's basement, cold and moist with scents of herbs and spices instead of just the dry dusty smelling sand.

"Why don't you take a shower Harry? I'll get your robes cleaned if you leave them by the door. I'm afraid we have a rather strict schedule to meet if we're going to acquire the diamond today, so it would be best if you changed here." Harry frowned for a minute and then nodded. "Through that door is my bedroom, and the door on the right is the bathroom. I'll let you get settled in, I have to take care of this extra hair. I assume your evidence bags have all the proper preserving spells on them, but the rest of us have to do it the old fashion way."

Harry nodded and went through the door. The bedroom was… well, extravagant, but tastily so. Done up in cream colors against dark woods, with bookshelves lining the walls on either side of the king size bed (and really, why did anyone who wasn't married need a king size bed?) that drifted slowly into cupboards and closets. The only reason Harry knew that the bathroom door led to another room as opposed to one of the, what was it, four closets?, was that the door had an actual knob instead of a handle.

Harry walked quickly through the room, pausing only to admire how soft the cream carpet was, and to the bathroom, hoping not to dirty the room too much. The bathroom was just as extravagant yet tasteful as the bedroom. It took Harry a moment to remember that it was Andromeda who bought this house, not Draco, or he would have completely understood the debt the man was in. The bathtub was most obviously porcelain, with iron claws and brass pipes that led up to the shower head. Harry moaned at the sight. He would have enjoyed a bath, but Draco made it quite clear there was no time.

Stepping hurriedly out of his clothes, Harry hurried to the shower, pulling the curtains around him and turning on the water to an almost freezing cold. The water hissed from the pipes like an annoyed snake, making Harry smile all the more, and he sighed as the sand washed out of all of the crevices of his body. He might never go to the beach again.

He frowned, hearing the door open, but then realized it was most likely Draco getting his clothes. He made no greeting, how did one greet someone when one was in a shower?, but continued bathing. The door closed, a short moment later, and then, as Harry was about ready to get out of the shower, it opened again. He paused, his hand resting on the handles, listening as clothes were set down, a few more brief rustlings and then the door was closed again. He waited a few more moments before hurrying out of the shower and changing quickly back into his robes, noting that even his under garments had been cleaned and folded. He frowned a bit, but brushed the robes straight, hurrying out into the bedroom.

His eyes locked on Draco's bare back, twisting and undulating as he struggled into a shirt that was most defiantly too tight. He wasn't sure what he was thinking, but he stepped up, grabbed the tight rim of the shirt, and pulled it down, taunt over Draco's lithe body. He heard him gasp a bit, and when he turned around, there was a slight flush on the blonde's face.

"I didn't expect you'd finish so fast. I barely had time to cast cleaning spells." He murmured.

"I can be quick when it's needed." Harry said with a smile. A spark lit in Draco's eye, one that Harry wasn't sure he trusted, and was right not to when the man spoke.

"A confession Potter? Shall I break it to those poor fans who think you're as long in bed as you were at ending the war?"

"Shove it Malfoy."

"Where and I shoving what Harry? And will you be able to last?" Draco asked, his eyes shining with mirth. Despite himself Harry found himself chuckling and shaking his head.

"You're a right prat." Harry laughed to which Draco only shrugged.

"Perhaps." He admitted and then turned, grabbing a sweater from the bed. He pulled it on and then cast a tempus charm, checked the time and nodded. "Good, we'll be a few moments early, but it's always better early than late. Follow me, hopefully the children won't be back yet, the last thing I need is jelly on my shirt before I go convince this poor woman to give up her diamond."

"I thought she had already agreed?" Harry asked, following the man as he led them up the stairs and out of the house.

"Oh good, not back yet. It's always hard to tell time when you zip from one place to another. And yes, I might have convinced her, but Harry, women are awfully picky about their diamonds. Why do you suppose it takes men years to save up for one? And then there's the sentimental value, the part I _need_ it for, which is a bit hefty. I had to bribe this woman with a diamond twice the worth of her own before she consented to the idea. Not that she's hard for cash, merely that she doesn't believe in buying her own stones. Ah, where were those coordinates again? Ah there, alright." Draco threw an arm around Harry's waist and with a pop, they were in front of a stately manor. "I even managed to find one from a witch, so the magic will be a bit stronger than one from a muggle. The stones soak up properties, but we have been over that."

He stepped closer to the gates of the manor and set a hand up on the air in front of them, not quite touching them.

"Mrs. Quette, I'm here for our arrangement." There was no sound, but the gates flashed once and Draco smiled before talking mostly to himself when he said. "Always a good sign when they let me in."

Harry smirked a bit and followed Draco, keeping his face straight, though the wards stung him multiple times. He heard Draco mutter something that sounded a bit like 'aggressive old biddy' but he couldn't be sure.

A small old woman met them at the door of a house that dwarfed even the Malfoy manor.

"Draco, early I see. It seems your manners haven't all fled you, well do come in. I do wish you would have told me you were bringing company though." The woman sounded a bit bitter, and Harry wondered for a moment if the ring could possibly hold the love required for the potion. But he followed Draco, watching with amusement as the man begged and groveled at the woman's feet. "I assume you brought a suitable substitute for my diamond?"

Draco nodded, and from his pocket drew a large oval shaped diamond, that Harry could imagine more easily on a necklace than a ring.

"Hm… It will do. Fine, go about casting your spells." Harry watched as Draco looked around the yard, as if wondering if he should do them outside, but the woman made no motion to let them into her house. With a nod Draco flourished his wand and tapped it three times to the quaint diamond on the woman's ring. It flashed once, twice, and then a near blinding pink light was emitted from it for twenty long seconds.

"You are a very loving woman." Draco smiled, looking at the ring with wonder. "Twenty years of such strong love… I don't doubt it would have continued longer…"

"Should he not have died? Yes but he did, and I'd thank you not to bring it up. Well let's have it, trade out the diamonds, I don't have all day. I have things to get back to." The woman snipped, and Harry wondered for a moment if her bitterness wasn't out of grief. Draco merely bowed and cast a quick spell, unfastening the gold from the ring, the diamond flew out and into Harry's hand, and the new, much larger diamond settled itself slowly on the old diamond's perch. The ring gave a tiny squeal of protest as it had to thin itself to more firmly grip the new stone, but it settled back down after a moment.

The witch sighed, and when the spell was finished, moved the ring to her middle finger, shaking her head.

"It's been ten long years… I thought perhaps this would help… but… I don't know." The woman said looking sadly at the new stone. Draco frowned and set a hand out, as if he would touch her shoulder, before thinking better of it.

"I can return the stone to you when the potion is done. It won't have the same luster, and it will be a bit smaller, but it will still be the stone he bought you." Draco said softly.

The witch looked up with fire in her eyes.

"I think not Mr. Malfoy, it was never the ring nor stone that meant a damned to me. Now get off the lawn before I change my mind just to spite you." She scowled and hurried into the house, slamming the door behind her.

Draco stared after her for a moment before the wards whipped up around them both, pressuring them towards the gates. Harry nodded, and led the way back.

Once there Draco wrapped an arm around Harry's waist and once again apparated them. Harry blinked, surprised to find himself outside his own house.

"It was on the way." Draco muttered before heaving a sigh. "I shall need the rest of the day to prepare the potion, but do be over bright and early for brewing."

Draco gave Harry a small smile, and with an almost silent pop, was gone.

Harry found himself staring at the empty space for a few moments before shaking himself out of the trance. He entered his barren apartment and flooed to the Ministry, proceeding to do the write up necessary and generally wasting time before he had to go home to the empty shell he called a home.

When he finally went back to the empty flat, he sat and let the owls parade up to him with various notes. One from Ginny, please don't be too lewd with the bachelor party, one from her fiancé, please don't be too prude with the bachelor party, one from Ron, please don't spend too much money on the bachelor party, one from Hermione, please spare no expense for the bachelor party, one from Mrs. Weasley, please don't hold the bachelor party on the night before the wedding, one from Mr. Weasley, by all that was holy please hold the bachelor party night before the wedding party or he would implode from Mrs. Weasley's plotting, though he did love her so. Harry sighed. He stacked the letters and motioned for the owls to make themselves at home on the small two perches he had. They squabbled for a few moments, none of them seeming satisfied to go home empty beaked, and Harry sighed, transfiguring a few more stands for the other owls, before sitting down to write the notes. He sat down with a quill and ink and wrote out a very vague message to each, humoring them without promising anything, and sent each owl on their way with what he hoped was the proper letter. He stood up at last, checked the time and swore. He dragged himself slowly to his room and managed to get undressed before he collapsed on his bed.

Tomorrow was going to be yet another long day, and he hardly knew how he had survived this one.

* * *

((I hope you didn't mind my trying out earlier grammar styles. I've been reading a lot of older words lately and am fascinated by the mid sentence question! Anyway, three cookies to whoever figures out the riddle without looking it up! Read and review my duckies and I shall respond to your every word!))


	4. Chapter 4

**Part Four**

((If you're reading assuming and ready to yell at me for not updating it, I promise it will be up by Wednesday. I've just had all sorts of projects due, but I'm sure you'd rather read the last installment of Soul Searching than my pitiful excuses.))

* * *

Harry woke up slowly, wading out of his dreams with soft blinks as the morning light fell into his bleary eyes. He had a feeling he'd been dreaming something pleasant, something sweet… He sighed, rolling out of bed. He had things to do. He worked his way slowly through his morning routine, setting a hand on the extra perch that had been his chair last night he sighed a bit. So much to do.

He sat down at his own chair and sipped his tea slowly. The clock on the wall read eight, and he nodded, apperating out of his house. He smiled softly, starting to enjoy the look of the large three story house. It was… homely. He knocked lightly on the door and it sprang open, a flustered looking Draco's face lit up.

"Good! These Aurors we saying they were going to drop off the ingredients but you weren't here yet. And I know you wouldn't want to do this again." Harry laughed lightly as he was led into the house.

"It's fine, I trust the Aurors, but I'll sign off on the delivery." He smiled softly again, watching Malfoy hurry down the stairs and start screaming orders at the Aurors who, flustered, were doing as he said.

"Potter." One man said, handing him the list.

"All of them have been cleared by the potions specialists?"

"Even the unicorn horn. Don't know how that passed, it's borderline illegal, but I guess he's got a permit for it." The man grunted and Harry shook his head, signing the paper.

"You should get those who aren't needed out of here, I have a feeling that they're only going to get in the way." Harry said and the Auror nodded again, some one Harry should know, undoubtedly, and he did know a few of the witches and wizards scurrying about, but not all of them. After the War the Auror department had grown to a ridiculous level. There was never any call for all of the Aurors to be at work, and most were lent out to less popular branches of the ministry. Draco gave a relieved sigh and four of the Aurors apperated away.

"I'll have the rest set up in a moment, do keep them from swirling those ridiculous robes around and disturbing the ground pixie wings." Draco muttered, casting with his wand as he moved quickly to and fro, gathering and arranging ingredients. "Substandard, I've never seen such lousy wolfs bane, but it will do."

"We got it from the place you suggested." The Auror seemed a bit insulted.

"Yes well Rodgers doesn't care to give out his good plants to just anyone. Never mind though, wolfs bane isn't all that important, just a stabilizer really. The bezoars will do though."

Harry sat down in the chair that only a few nights before he had drank fire whisky in, motioning for the others to sit as well.

"The more you get in his way, the longer we'll all be here." Harry smirked, casting a watchful eye over Draco. Most nodded, sitting on the chairs available or leaning on the walls, but one small witch hurried back and forth over Draco's shoulder, and Harry was sure that if it had been anyone but an Auror in a room filled with Auror's the witch would have a pair of horns growing out from her armpits.

"There, now I assume there's someone here from the potions branch to watch? Ah good, you stand there, no to your left. Right, don't move, you'll be able to see everything there without getting in my—oh for Merlin's sake, really anti-spell wards? Keep them three feet from my cauldron, I don't want your magic getting involved with the brewing, no that's not far enough… there. Now don't go moving it or I won't be responsible if the pot explodes." Draco huffed and Harry smiled, moving to the outside of the group of gathering wizards. He smiled, noting Draco already had his hair tied back with a small black ribbon and was hurriedly casting spells to shrink his sleeves. "Now watch carefully, I don't want to have to do this twice."

With a small hand gesture, Draco began, the ingredients all floated into the air at once, and slowly began their dance, now and then one would bob from the pattern, and Draco would cast another spell at it, chopping or grinding it, and then with a small flick of his wand, the potion was filled with…

"Mercury." The wizard behind him said with a bit of aw. "Only used in high level potions… It has to be stabilized and purified…"

A handful of ingredients immediately plopped into the silver brew, but when Harry stood on tiptoe, he could see they were still doing their dance.

"No stirring… fascinating…" A witch beside him murmured.

Draco himself had a knife out and was chopping ingredients as they passed by him, his face was blank with concentration, and the dandelion seeds were starting to separate out around his hair, the fluffy bits were sticking to his robe and the seeds were continuing on their dance.

"A sticking charm to keep the fluffs in place…" Another witch murmured.

Draco cast a small charm and suddenly the fluffs on his body all few off at once. They joined in the air in another small ball and lit on fire. The ash dropped directly into the cauldron. The seeds, Harry saw when he looked back, were suffering under Draco's mortar and pestle, until they were finely ground, then they too joined the fluffs, but only after the diamond had been dropped into the brew, turning the whole pot the color of molten gold. Malfoy paused, looking the potion over and dipped his wand into it, murmuring softly. He smiled then, as it turned soft pink, and a few more ingredients dropped in, stirring themselves to oblivion. Draco turned back with the bottle of dragon flame in hand and very carefully poured half of it into the potion. The liquid lit, and white flames danced on the top of the mixture. Then Draco added the other half of the liquid to the firewood underneath, Harry vaguely noted that too had been brought in from an apothecary shop, and it burst up with blue flames like opals.

The ingredients all settled down on the table in a nice line then, and Draco addressed each in turn, grinding the unicorn horn, boiling the bezoars in a small cauldron on the table, lighting the phoenix down on fire until the feather turned a golden red. He nodded at each in turn, and then turned back to the potion. The flames had dropped down a bit, but they still licked fiercely at the silver cauldron and snapped at the air. Harry couldn't even tell what color the potion was right now, the light of the flames was too bright.

Draco nodded at the potion again, and with a swish of his wand three of the ingredients flew into the potion. This time he stirred it with a small black bow of some tree, which Harry didn't know. The wood dissolved as it stayed in the potion too long and finally Draco dropped the last of his hand hold on it.

"Look! It's eating the cauldron itself!" A wizard next to him gasped, and Harry turned to see that the potion, now a spring leaf green, was showing though the now nearly transparent cauldron.

"Will it spill?" Another asked, looking frightened. Harry rolled his eyes, as if Draco would let his potion spill. He snorted at the very thought and turned his attention back to Draco. He watched as Draco pulled the phoenix down from the air and set it on fire. The down fluffed up like popcorn at first, growing longer and wider, changing from a soft golden red to a brilliant blue white. While it was still burning Draco let it drop into the fire.

The cauldron began to hiss and sputter, green and black sparks flew into the air and Draco pointedly ignored them, continuing about his work. He pulled the last of the rare ingredients from it's containment bag and licked the sphinx hair before dropping it into the pot. He quickly sucked on a bezoar before he added it too, along with two others, to the cauldron.

"It has to percolate for an hour, but then it will be done." Draco explained. Harry smiled mildly, watching as various wizards and witches walked up to the barrier, pointing out the places where holes were worn completely through the cauldron, others muttering about how stupid licking a sphinx hair was.

None of them noticed that Draco had slouched down hard on the table, nor did they notice the sheen of sweat on his forehead. Harry did though, and moved to his side. Draco looked up at him with a small grim smile and allowed Harry to move him gently to a chair.

"Worst part about the potion." He smiled, his face more pale than normal. Harry gave a sympathetic nod.

"Can I get you anything?" He asked.

"Besides a shot of fire whiskey, which I don't think is appropriate under the circumstances, no." Draco chuckled slightly. Harry nodded and sat down across from him. He watched the way Draco's face didn't change, the way that it didn't move into a smile when his work was complimented, and didn't move into a frown when it was insulted. His mask seemed perfect to the Aurors and potion wizards, but when he looked back at Harry, he could see a bit of light in those steel eyes.

"An hour is up." The witch, who must have been grating on Draco's nerves, announced loudly. Draco nodded and walked to the potion, with a motion of his wand the liquid formed a stream and poured into the waiting bottles. It filled exactly twelve. "If you'll contact me when I'm allowed to sell again…"

"Not so fast. We've been ordered to wait with you until the potion has been tested." Harry nearly gasped, not at the statement, but at the sudden loss of color in Draco's face. The witch smiled, she had been the one to announce the orders, and now her smirk was predatory. "Not feeling well Malfoy?"

"The potion drains me." He muttered. "If you'll excuse me, I'm going to retire until judgment has been passed."

Harry started to go after him but stopped. This was still his job. He was on a case. He nodded to himself and sat down in Draco's chair. He closed his eyes, blocking out the world, as he started to plan the bachelor party, the current bane of his existence. He would hold it at that place in Hogsmeed he'd heard good things about, couldn't remember the name now, it wasn't too classy but it certainly wasn't trashy, he'd get the place reserved, that would cost a pretty knut or two, maybe get a cake witch, he'd heard that was common practice. He didn't quite find the same amount of appeal of having a witch transfigure from a cake to a witch as he did to having a woman jump out of a still edible cake, but he supposed it was one of those culture things. He was debating on when he would ask to reserve the place for when a wizard popped into the room. Harry frowned a bit, wondering how they had convinced Malfoy to drop his apparition wards, but held his tongue as the wizard looked highly disappointed.

"All of the tests have shown that it's legitimate." The wizard grumbled, a few others reacted with equal disappointment, but others seemed to perk up at the news.

"Auror Potter?" The annoying witch said, handing him a bottle. Harry looked the potion over warily. In a way, the Soul Searching potion seemed a lot like a cheat. You were supposed to spend years looking for your soul mate. But then, maybe fate owed Harry one. With a small frown he uncorked the potion and tipped his head back.

* * *

All he could see was gold. Shining shimmering gold, back lit with the rays of the of a dimmed light. A soft chuckle sounded against his chest, warming his heart and soul. Gentle lips pressed against his collar bone, and the gold shifted away, letting Harry see the dark wood ceiling. Another soft chuckle and another kiss, this time moving up his neck. A nibble on the bottom of his ear, oh sweet Merlin had he ever felt like this before? A breathy exhale into his ear, a lick along the shell, he was shivering now, mewling slightly.

"Shhh…. Insatiable aren't we?" A deep voice, filled with husky lust sounded above him, and he whimpered again. His body reacted on it's own, pushing up into the heat of his tormentor, his lovely, wonderful tormentor.

"Please…" He heard himself beg. Another soft laugh, and this time he felt a hand grasp him and… Oh… "Draco!"

His conscious mind shot backwards, leaving his potion body behind. He saw himself naked, sprawled under the blonde, his arms tied to the bed post and his glasses and wand just out of reach. Even with the shock of who was his bedmate, Harry couldn't help finding the situation arousing. Draco was stroking him gently now, and he could nearly feel it with his own body. Then the man hoisted himself up, impaling himself hard on Harry's aching shaft. The blonde threw his head back, letting out a scream that would have woken the children, should they have forgotten the silencing charm. But they never did, this knowledge was in the front of Harry's mind as he watched Draco ride him. He noticed something odd on the man's penis, a shimmering like a spell, but he couldn't figure out what it was, in either form. Soon the Harry on the bed was gasping, panting, moaning for release and Draco smiled, equally flush, his eyes glazed. Harry heard himself cum, his breath hitching in a way that it only did after a truly great orgasm. He nearly moaned watching himself, but then Draco pulled off of him. With a smile, the man moved down Harry's body, licking a trail that left the Harry in bed whimpering and panting.

"Draco… Draco…" Was all that could be made out around the incoherent babbles of the Harry on the bed. A moment later though he was silenced as Draco licked a soft path down to his ass, laving it with his tongue until more guttural moans fell from Harry's mouth, and he could see his body trying desperately to recover. A moment later though, Draco had pulled away, and Harry was once more begging, whimpering, gasping for the attention.

"I love you." Draco said softly, pressing his lips to Harry's thighs, kissing a soft pattern as he pulled the man's legs up over his shoulder.

"L-L-L-o-ve!" Harry managed between shutters and a moment later he screamed as he was penetrated. Draco gasped, bending almost completely forward over Harry, his eyes wide and glazed with lust and… genuine love.

"Harry, my sweet…" Draco whispered softly, bending down to capture Harry's lips in a soft, gentle kiss. The Harry on the bed seemed… well he swelled under the attentions, his eyes and face softened and a soft smile broke out on his face.

"Love you." Harry said softly, a murmur into the kiss. With that Draco pulled back and started thrusting wildly and deeply into Harry.

The watching Harry wasn't sure how long it went on, much longer than he thought he would have had the stamina for unless he had just released, and Draco… Harry could only guess how Draco managed to keep himself from cumming when his head was thrown back and sweat rolled down his body like rain.

"Draco! Oh! OH! Love!" Harry gasped cumming again, this time all over his stomach. Draco reached down hurriedly and touched Harry's wand, and in that moment his face fell completely blank, only a few gentle murmuring sounds could be heard coming from his mouth, but from the way the other Harry was thrashing, the watching Harry knew that Draco had just had the orgasm of his life, or anyone's life by the looks of it.

The blonde collapsed on Harry, out of breath and shivering.

"H-Happy Anniversary love…" Draco murmured into Harry's neck. Harry whimpered and with a small smile, Draco managed to touch the wand and cast a small spell that unbound the Harry on the bed. "Next year… I choose."

"Of course." Harry murmured, wrapping his arms around Draco and rolling over so that he was on top of the blonde. He listened to the man's breathing, smiling as it sunk into the deep even rhythm of sleep and kissed passionately alone the man's neck and chest, even as his own eyes drifted close, and stopped only when he was asleep.

* * *

Harry's eyes flew open.

"Well?" The annoying witch asked.

"Well what?" He snarled at her, feeling almost angry enough to strike her. She took a wary step back.

"Does it work?" She asked, sounding slightly more meek.

"How the bloody hell should I know?" Harry snarled, and with a quick motion disaperated.

* * *

His apartment was cold when he stepped into it, so he lit a fire, but it didn't do much. Snarling he grabbed his bottle of fire whiskey, downed it quickly but decided he still wasn't warm. He threw on another set of robes, but it didn't help, and finally he flooed to a bar.

He wasn't sure how the night went exactly, but in the morning he was covered in what he assumed was his own vomit, lying in bed with the ugliest witch he'd ever seen. Well… she wasn't ugly, but she was a brunet, short, with brown eyes that looked as confused as he felt when she opened them. She was wrong… in ever sense, just wrong. Harry muttered an apology and hurried from the room, apperating quickly to his own apartment where he took a scorching shower to scour any of last night off of him.

A dozen ministry owls paraded about his flat, but he didn't bother with any of them. He knew what they wanted and he wasn't ready to give them an answer yet. He wasn't ready to face up to the idea that…

He shivered and threw himself into the planning of the bachelor party. It would be soon, the wedding wasn't that far out now, and he needed something to distract him. He had Ginny's letter, detailing what he would need to be a groomsman, and the groom's letter, specifying what he wanted at his party more thoroughly. Harry picked one owl at random and wrote a note to the ministry, saying he would be taking a week's paid vacation now, and should his condition not improve he would be taking sick leave after that, and wished them luck on finding him a replacement. He frowned, wondering if that would be damning to Dra- Malfoy, but he didn't ponder it too long. Even just a flash of the man's name in his head brought back memories that he couldn't have yet.

He made a few fire calls to the restaurant, and in no time had the place reserved for four nights hence. As he stood up, wiping the ash from his trousers he noticed a Prophet owl, looking a bit disturbed, sat among the other owls, waiting for it's monthly salary. Harry nodded to, grabbed a few galleons and put it in the owls purse and then picked up the paper that was dropped.

_**HARRY POTTER TAKES SOUL SEARCH!**_ Harry threw the paper into the fire without moving on to see who the report was or what the paper said. He fumed for only a moment before he started working on invitations. He wasn't sure exactly how formal they should be, at Ron's wedding, Bill had sent out rather risqué cards giving a where, a when, and a what to bring (that list included promissory notes and knuts), but Harry didn't want to be quite so… lewd. Instead he made a fairly polite invitation and then copied it off a few dozen times, sending it out with various ministry owls, who weren't doing anything anyway (though they seemed less than amused to be sent out on his errands).

When Harry had sent out the last owl he turned to look through a magic listing he had bought a while back. It was like a phone book for wizards, various wizards put up false owling addresses where they would get the mail sent, and offered services. He searched for a few moments, never having gotten used to the fact that the book wasn't alphabetical but arranged by type of magic, strength of magic and general status of the wizard. He smiled though as he found a portrait of an attractive young witch under transfiguration.

He sat down to write a letter to her, asking what her prices were to be a cake witch for the night. He had never understood the draw, personally, of a woman turning into a cake and then transfiguring right before she's served. He was more partial to a woman jumping out of an actual cake, where afterwards the remains could at least be served, but it was wizarding tradition. By the time he had figured out how to pose the proposition and sent it out, a few other owls were back, each making various demands or complaints. That first day passed quickly, and by the time Harry was ready for sleep he hardly needed the dreamless sleep potion, but took it anyway just in case.

That next morning a letter from Ron was prominent on the table. Harry opened it and smiled, he was worried about the bachelor party and wanted to help, which translated to 'the bloke is marrying my sister, I can't have him being to filthy'. There was also a correspondence from the groom, who (much to Harry's chagrin) seemed to be a very nice fellow. Harry flooed Ron, who came over briefly, and then immediately sent him out to scout out the restaurant. Harry had never been there himself, but neither one of them needed to speak why Harry couldn't leave. The Prophet once again had Harry's face on it, under which a hundred witches claimed to be his soul mate. Ron hurried off and Harry sat down by the fire to have his second floo call of the day, chatting with the groom directly about some of the plans, though leaving out enough to make sure there were surprises. After all, one couldn't have the groom knowing everything, and Harry mostly managed to wheedle out the information he needed from the man.

As soon as he had hung up with the groom another fire call came in, Ron from the restaurant, saying that tomorrow Harry would have to come down and figure a few things out himself, but that he'd be off to buy some decorations and tricks from George as long as he was out. Those were just the first of a near constant stream of floo calls, and occasional patronus messages, that Harry filled his day with. Once more Harry collapsed in his bed after taking a dreamless sleep potion.

On what was technically the third day of his 'vacation' and with two full days to the bachelor party (and a half day as it was set to begin at six), Harry found himself finally unable to deal with the massive amounts of owls in his flat. He was sure they were reproducing when he wasn't looking, because there was frankly no way the ministry had enough spare owls to completely fill his flat this way. Slowly he weeded through the owls, picking off the letters and sorting them into piles. The owls, already looking more content, began to line themselves up more orderly along parts of the house. Harry opened the first letter with a sigh. It, like most of the rest, asked if he was feeling ill from the potion? Was it affecting him adversely? Did they need to arrest Malfoy? Harry sighed at the last, pushing images from his head that seemed far too eager to surface. He simply stated that he needed time to come to terms with what the potion had said before he could even begin to investigate the truth of the matter, as it was he couldn't suggest either way about the Soul Searching Potion.

After many copies of the same general letter had been sent out, and about two dozen less owls later, Ron had arrived with a trunk filled with various odds and ends and demanded Harry go with him to the restaurant so they could take proper measurements and settle the last few disagreements. Harry agreed, after performing a few illusion charms on himself, and side-alonged with Ron to the restaurant.

It was a nice enough place, wide open with pleasant seeming food and a good atmosphere. There were plenty of fireplaces to floo in with, and the room they had rented out seemed just the right size. The manager of the place was a bit skeptical about some of the entertainment the bachelor party included, but after a few galleons and a signature or two, he decided it was nothing that his reputation would suffer too much from. Harry sighed as they finally managed to leave, having avoided most of the uncomfortable situations, he was eager to be home. A flash of blond caught his attention though, and without a thought he apperated straight to his flat.

Ron followed him in a moment later, looking confused, but Harry smiled, waving it off. He told Ron to invite Hermione tomorrow, they would be looking at cakes, and he honestly didn't know where to begin. Ron nodded, and Harry smiled as his friend left. He leaned heavily against the nearest wall and slid down it, shaken. It hadn't bee Malfoy, he was sure of that now, the clothes were too shabby and the hair was too dull, but just the chance had sent him cowering like a kicked crup. He snarled at himself and went off to his shelf. He opened it to find himself plum out of whiskey. He was certain he had at least two bottles in there at the beginning of the week… Shaking his head he sent out one of the remaining owls, one who wouldn't rest until it got an interview from him, with money to get him another bottle. It was eager to do so, and Harry couldn't blame it, it had probably been trained to get the person anything they wanted in hopes to get the interview. He shook his head and slouched down on the couch. He wouldn't think about the blonde, wouldn't think about the potion…

The owl came back quickly, depositing a slightly chilled bottle of firewhiskey in Harry's hand, and nuzzled against him imploringly before Harry sighed. Tomorrow he'd write something to send back with the damned bird, nothing good, but something. Damn reporters when they knew his weaknesses. He guzzled at the firewhiskey, wondering only for a moment if he was becoming an alcoholic, before the punch kicked in, and his lights went out.

He supposed he should have gone to bed last night, or at least set an alarm. Hermione was not amused to find him slumped on the couch with a bottle of firewhiskey in his hand. He apologized and let her perform the hangover charm on him, a rather painful charm really, not quite as nice as the potion Dra- not quite as nice as the potion. He disguised himself once more before apperating out to the bakery Hermione had suggested.

The shop itself was small, quaint, looking like something out of a muggle movie, with flowers on the table, and a plump baker dressed in white, with streaks of flour through his graying hair. Hermione spoke with him at first, and when she mentioned bachelor party, he waved his wand. A selection of various cakes appeared on the counter. Hermione blushed and both Harry and Ron had to look away for a moment as a variety of obscene cakes appeared. After a few muttered objections, most of the more… scandalous cakes disappeared, and they finally decided on a pair of breast cakes. The baker, helpfully, suggested various enchantments that would make the cakes more… animated, to everyone's dismay (though Ron seemed to be muttering something about Bill being a moron). They hurriedly ordered two plain breast cakes and decided that wizards had all together too much time on their hands to create such… an array of spells.

Harry, one hand still to his head, suggested they visit the cake witch, to make sure she didn't have anything similar planned. Hermione agreed, but only after slapping Ron for his over enthusiasm, and Harry apperated out to the location the woman had her shop set up at. The witch, not expecting them, was unusually gracious. In general, she reminded Harry, for all the world of Tonks, they were both metamorphmangi, and both had the same sort of where the wind blows attitude about life. Harry asked a few general questions before Hermione attacked with a barrage of more detailed questions, but the witch smiled and took it all with a good nature. Ron seemed a bit disappointed, perhaps at the fact that the witch, Amelia, was fully clothed. Whatever it was, by the time they had left Ron and Hermione were in another spat, and Harry needed to go home and rest. He had one more day to finish decorating the place and his head was spinning, he felt sick. He waved goodbye to Hermione and Ron before appareting home and sitting down on his couch with a thump. He set a heavy hand to his head. He felt like the days were spinning by out of his control, one after the other with nothing important happening. He wasn't sure he'd ever felt like this before. One hand itched anxiously for the bottle of firewhisky, that would make it all go away.

He shook his head and pulled his legs up to his chest, trying to figure out what was wrong with him. Why were the days moving like this, eternally slow and boring, yet still flying by like a greased broom? A thought lodged in his head, unwelcomed but unwilling to move.

He was depressed.

Why on earth would he be depressed?

The answer moved in just as quickly and refused to move just as stubbornly as the last answer had.

Malfoy. Draco.

He shook his head. He couldn't deal with that, not now. He had other things he needed to take care of. With a sigh he threw himself off the couch, took the last of his dreamless sleep potions, vowed to get some more in the morning, and went to bed.

He woke up to a tapping at the window, more insistent than most post owls. It must have been especially eager to have him read its message. He frowned, taking the letter from the little grey bird. It preened and hopped onto his shoulders, nuzzling through his hair.

_'We need to talk'_

The letter was unsigned, but it didn't need to be. Just looking at the handwriting, handwriting that he shouldn't have known so well, sent shivers through him. He crumpled the letter. The little owl looked as crushed as the parchment and it let out a baleful hoot.

"No reply." Harry said to the bird. It hopped from one shoulder to the other, as if asking if he was sure, but when he didn't say anything else it flitted to the window. It looked over its shoulder one last time, blinking large sorrowful eyes, before flying off. Harry's heart gave a start, those eyes… they were so grey.

Harry dressed quickly, not bothering to bathe, and flooed to the Ministry. He ignored the calls and the few photos, hurrying to the elevator he pressed the button hurriedly. His mind flew as he tried to recall the owl. He was sure he'd seen it before.

"I need to check the list of registered animangus." He said, frightening a the secretary seated behind the desk. She nodded and directed him to where the list was, alphabetical in order of creature.

_'Horse, llama, mink… owl!'_ Harry stabbed his finger down on the word and trailed through it. Right in the middle of the page was listed one Draco Malfoy. His heart skipped a beat. Shaking he closed the book and left without a word. There was no doubt now, that little owl had been following him for days, he was sure of it. It must have been in the house when there were so many others, and he was sure he'd seen it when he was at the restaurant…

He apperated straight out of the ministry, his emotions in full force, tearing apart the wards as he went, and straight into Malfoy's house.

"You've been stalking me!" He snarled, finding himself right in front of a rather poorly put together Malfoy. He looked like he had been pulled through a muggle blender, his hair was a mess and his eyes were hollow looking.

"I can hardly help it!" Malfoy snarled back, his face contorting, looking distressed. Harry felt his heart leap for a moment before his anger tore back in.

"Fuck off Malfoy, I don't have time to deal with you right now!"

"It's your fucking job!" Malfoy snarled whirling around to pace. "I've got debt collectors breathing down my neck, and I can't sell the damned potion until you say it works!"

"I'm not sure it does work!" Harry growled back, and he saw Malfoy's eyes turn, looking large, hollow, and yet… hurt.

"Get out of my house." Was snarled in a low, dangerous tone. Harry started to stutter, unsure what had caused this reaction in the frazzled blonde. "Get the **fuck** out of my house **now.**"

A curse whirled past Harry's head and he jumped, before he apparated away.

Setting a hand to his head he shook himself vigorously. Hermione and Ron were standing in living room, saying something about the Ministry being worried about him. He nodded and flooed the Minister, giving a brief apology, but otherwise skirting all the questions asked.

Ron suggested they go buy presents, to which Harry agreed reluctantly, throwing on extra charms to disguise himself, and keeping an eye out for a small grey owl. No matter how hard he looked, as they traveled up and down Diagon Ally, he saw no trace of the bird, and it made his chest ache a bit. By the time both Harry and Ron had found presents, neither of them appropriate for mixed company, it was getting dark. Ron grabbed Harry and side-alonged him to the restaurant, where the spent most of the night setting up decorations.

When they were finished Harry smiled and waved goodbye to Ron.

"Mate, you've been distant all week. Mione and I are here for you, whoever she is, it can't be that bad. Not like it's she can be too bad, she's your soul mate after all." Ron started to continue but the look on Harry's face dismissed him. Harry sighed and watched Ron disapperate. Screw alcoholism, he needed a drink.

* * *

He woke up at noon with a bucket of water being poured over him.

"Honestly Harry, you can't keep this up!" Hermione's voice, more shrill than normal, sounded loudly from above him.

"The hell I can't." Harry grumbled. "If I can't remember it, it doesn't matter."

"What could possibly be so bad?" She snarled.

"To start with my soul mate's a man!" Harry growled. Hermione blinked for a second and then continued on.

"So what, so was Bill's and Merlin knows he's never been happier." She yelled right back at him. Harry turned his head to the side, fuming. "What upsets you more Harry? That you could finally find happiness? Or that you let something else control your life again?"

"I don't want to talk about it." Harry growled.

"Too bad. I've dealt with you absent from us for four years, and when you finally start to get a spark back you go further into the depression than ever!"

"I don't wanna talk about it!"

"I don't care!" Hermione snarled and hit him with a sobriety charm. Harry reeled back and swore. "Now, you're going to pick up the cake and the cake witch, go to the bachelor party, and when that's done, I want you to figure everything out. I don't care how long it takes and…" She cast again. "There."

"What was that?"

"A semi-permanent sobriety charm. Until I take it off, you won't be able to get drunk, and don't bother looking for an anti-charm, I created this one myself." Hermione said and flooed out with a burst of green flame. Harry snarled after her but began to go about his morning routine. He sighed and did as Hermione told him, got to the restaurant early, and finished the decorations.

The groom showed up early, and soon everyone was there, most of them people Harry didn't recognize. He felt sick, but when he tried to drink he couldn't get buzzed. He watched as Amelia danced around the groom, looking like Ginny, and could hardly be amused at Ron's stuttering. When the real Ginny and a group of the girls from her bachelorette party walked in, he could only watch Ginny and Harold (what kind of name is Harold?) danced back and forth across the floor a few times. He stood up and told Ron he wasn't feeling well. Ron gave him a confused look but nodded.

Harry thought about checking the time but it didn't matter. He apperated through the wards and into the bedroom. Malfoy was laying out on the bed, clutching him stomach and whimpering.

Without a word Harry knelt over him, kissing his pain twisted face gently, nuzzling him until the pain went away.

"You should put that on the side effects." He murmured softly when Malfoy looked more at ease.

"I don't know what you're talking about." He huffed, turning his head to the side.

"The part where it hurts both of us to deny the truth." He murmured, leaning back down and licking Malfoy's jaw. He felt the man shiver beneath him, but found a pair of strong hands on his shoulders, pushing him back.

"I don't want this." The blonde said, looking away.

"I do." Harry murmured gently.

"Liar. I thought the great Harry Potter would be more resistant to a little bit of pain." Draco sneered, but still didn't meet Harry's eyes.

"I watched Ginny dancing tonight." He said softly, sitting back on the man's hips. He felt Draco go still under him. "She and Harold moved across the floor so perfectly, her red hair shimmering in the lights, and both so absorbed in each other that the obscene decorations of the bachelor party didn't bother them… And I couldn't stop thinking of you. Merlin knows I tried. But I saw Ginny's hair turn blonde, saw all of the guests hair turn blond, and grey eyes were everywhere, looking upset and disgusted with me. How could I ignore that?"

Draco grunted but made no other motion of acknowledgment.

"How did you know who your soul mate was?" Harry asked softly. "You said you knew before you made the potion."

"My mother," Draco muttered after a moment's thought "is descended from match makers. It wasn't a guessing game in the wizarding world, if you saw a matchmaker; she could set you up with the witch or wizard most in tune with you. The first time she saw you, she had such a thrill go through her that she knew you were it for me. She told me of course, when I was young, to befriend you, and do whatever it took to keep you near. But our rivalry grew instead of… anything else, and she told me that happens. She didn't tell me she had never felt such a strong connection until after you defeated You-Know-Who, didn't tell me that she thought we were destined to be together, but by then… I already had an idea. When you returned my wand, it never acted the same. It feels like you, because you mastered it, but it doesn't feel tainted like it should. It feels warmer…"

Harry felt his heart stilling in his chest as Draco spoke, felt his energy slow down until he was nearly a solid thing.

"Harry?"

He couldn't help himself, he should have, but he couldn't. He plunged into the man's still questioning mouth, stealing the kiss and rutting against him. He felt confused hands flutter at his sides before they moved up and made fists in his hair. A low moan let out of his mouth and he pulled back to gasp, but only for a moment, because Draco pulled him right back into the kiss. He smiled then, rutting harder against the blonde, feeling the way the other arched up and responded to him, moaning all the more.

It was quick, undignified, messy, but the came, each still wearing their pants.

"Draco…" Harry muttered gently, lapping at the sweat man's neck.

"Mmm?"

"What did you see when you took the potion?"

"Our wedding." Draco murmured softly, turning his head a bit so that he could bite the tip of Harry's ear. "I could hardly see anything but you though, why?"

"I saw… the most erotic sex…" Harry whispered deviously. "You had me tied to the bed and rode me till I came, and after that you fucked me so hard that I came again, even though I had barely recovered. Only then did you cum inside of me, looking like you'd just experienced the most brilliant moment of your life."

"I can hardly think that would be right." Draco murmured, and Harry pulled back for a second, looking into the blonde's mercury eyes. "The most brilliant moment of my life is happening right now."

Harry twisted his face up at the sickly sweet line, but gave a soft chuckle, diving back into the sweet taste of his soul mate's mouth.

* * *

((WHOOOO! Done! I hope you enjoyed it. As always leave a review and, should you feel like it, a prompt. This has been fun! I hope to see you all around again! Perhaps with another story?))


End file.
